The present invention relates to the disposal of sludge and, more particularly, the disposal of refinery sludges having high water content and solids.
Refinery sludges having high water content and containing solids pose a difficult disposal problem for refiners. Not only must refiners dispose of a mass of material, they must avoid polluting, handle the material safely, and accomplish the disposal economically. Dewatering the sludge can be especially difficult and expensive to accomplish.
Systems are known in which petroleum sludge is disposed of in a delayed coking process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,585 to Figgins et al. discloses mixing petroleum sludge with oil to form a slurry and injecting the slurry into a feedline leading to the coke drum. However, that process requires a special slurry drum which is additional to the equipment needed in a conventional delayed coking process. Furthermore, accessory equipment such as an agitator, motor and connections to the delayed coking equipment, and perhaps an additional pump are needed.